awashrpg | USER: #4FB6C3

I have a feeling that you won't...

[He looks back at him, his expression now back to being serious. Or at least more business-y.]

I've dealt with a few groups myself...along with out of control Persona users. Tell me, are you able to sense other users like yourself?

["Out of control Persona users" doesn't bother him as much as it probably should, and yet... he's experienced a bit too much there with Strega, as well as Shinji's whole story.

For now--]

I can't, no... [Huh...] Only the people in our group with navigator abilities can do that.

[You don't worry Minato, it's not like those ideas came from a man that Nanjo had to fight, that would be silly.]

I see...that would explain why other users didn't seem to notice I was one as well. [He looks back at Minato, pinching the bridge of his nose.] I never heard of 'navigators' before. All of my friends could sense each other's Personas when we are close enough, along with anyone else's...I'm almost disappointed this ability seems to have died out for so many of you. It would make our gathering here far easier.

Does the name Philemon mean anything to you?

[...Hm.]

That's...another part of Jung's writing, right? Some sort of...guide in a dream, or something...?

[So no, he hasn't met Philemon.]

Philemon is...a dweller between the conscious and the unconsciousness. I met him after playing the Persona game with my friends, in a dream. If you have enough willpower to recall your name in the collective unconsciousness, he awards you with the ability to use Personas.

However, he cannot affect the world directly. As you mentioned, he was more of a guide, only able to offer advice. It was his servants which aided us instead.

[He looks back at him.]

The fact you never met him is rather interesting...and somewhat troubling.

[There is So Much there to process. His brow furrows a little. And naturally he focuses on by far the most important part of that whole spiel (no, it's not):]

...The Persona game? [?????]

[Hooooooo boy, here we go.]

Ahh, it would make sense you haven't heard of that either...it was a rumor in our school.

[AND WHO DOESN'T LOVE RUMORS?!]

It was said that playing the Persona game would show you your future. I didn't believe it at the time. Think of it like a ritual where for people would go to each corner of a room and call out Persona each in turn, until all four had all chanted. Inaba and Uesugi bet on each other if it would work or not. It is still hard to believe that Uesugi had been truthful in its efficiency...I suspect those who used it but couldn't recall their name or meet Philemon thought of it nothing more than a good prank.

[... A RUMOR... A rumor about Persona games.... Minato blinks slowly. He's trying to process this, but...]

So you all...met Philemon through playing this game? [Who is an actual person, apparently?] And he gave you your ability to use Personas...?

That's correct.

[How much has the world changed in ten years that this is all completely different...he has to wonder if this has to do with Philemon's own counterpart...maybe to defeat one, the other must leave as well?]

It is different for you, is it not?

... Yeah. It's definitely different.

[Minato looks contemplative, mostly; how is he supposed to even...describe his own Persona awakening?

In the end, he goes with what's easiest.]

I've never met Philemon, for instance. My Persona awakening happened when I ran into some Shadows.

I see..that is interesting. I've never run into Shadows persay...although I did travel with one for a time and fought a few others.

[Um?]

In our case, while we did get the Personas granted by Philemon, we didn't awaken to them until...[he looks away briefly, as he remembers what had happened, and unconsciously clenches one of his hands into a fist.] ...we were attacked by zombies in a hospital.

[It really was a different time.]

[.... A slow blink.

That's.....

...What?

Zombies sounds almost comical, if not for the fact that zombies implies dead people. But it's so, so hard to believe--

...And yet, Nanjo looks like he's remembering something incredibly painful.]

...It was really difficult, huh...? [It could've been painful in all sorts of ways. Minato won't pry.] I'm sorry to hera that.

I lost someone very important to me.

[That's as much detail as he'll give the other. It's probably strange to see this side of someone that would become incredibly powerful and known in his later years, but somehow Nanjo manages a small (if bittersweet) smile, touching his chest in silence before speaking again.]

However in times of great difficulty...you form bonds with others that you never knew existed.

You're right.

[Minato nods along with that easily, head dipping contentedly.]

Those bonds are really important. Without them... I don't think we'd be able to accomplish near as much.

But all together, there's really no limit. [Cheesy, Minato!!

But also since the power of friendship kind of saved the world, not untrue.]

Well said. Friends are there to steer us in the right direction, should we loose track of our objective.

[It's okay Minato, as much as Nanjo does not want to admit it, he totally and completely laid on the cheese to both Tatsuya before leaving him with the other adults, and three years ago to Ideal Maki.]

I may not have my friends here, but with yourself and Miss Kirijo, I have connections. That will content me for now...I must admit, I am rather interested in knowing of your capabilities as a Persona user.

[Sometimes, they gotta just cheese it up.

But.

Minato mostly just looks contemplative at that.]

I'm not really sure how to help with that...I'd rather not summon any of my Personas if I don't have to. [Things are different when you shoot yourself in the head to summon them.]

I guess... I can defend myself, more or less? [...sure, Minato, that describes what you can do just fine.]

I understand. It is quite an undertaking of energy. I won't force you to do anything.

[But you have to admit that the summoning high is pretty great, Minato.]

You also mentioned Personas. I assume you can summon more than one as well?

[As well?]

My friends were all able to summon multiple Personas...although not always to the best of our abilities considering our affinities.

[Uuuuuhh??]

[H...uh..........

Though, no... Minato supposes that matches up, doesn't it? Igor had said it'd been "many years" since he last had a guest--the timeline makes sense, if there weren't any Persona users between the last crisis Nanjo dealt with and...well, him.

So aside from a brief moment to process that, Minato nods. It's not like he ever really thought he was that special, after all.]

Does that mean you know Igor too?

[Minato, please. At the name, however, he smiles. He does recognize the name for certain.]

It is good to know that Igor is still alive in your time. Although this does raise even more questions for me. Igor is Philemon's servant, as are the other residents in the Velvet Room, Belladonna, Nameless and the Demon Painter.

[He pauses, but continues before the other can speak.]

...I have a theory of what might have happened...I feel that Philemon might have taken a passive role after what happened.

[Whoa, Nanjo, slow down!! Who's Belladonna? Who's Nameless and the Demon Painter?

Igor's Philemon's servant...?

????]

What...do you mean, exactly? [A passive "role"? What was his role before? To hand out Personas to people? Why would that change?

He has so many questions.]

[Maybe they should sit somewhere to discuss at this rate. He leans on his sheathed sword.]

Philemon is a dweller of the collective unconsciousness, a guide that grants users the ability to summon Personas...but I think you understand that everything has another side to them. In a way, you could see He is the shadow that lurks deep inside of humanity...the being that stands at the opposite of him. the archetype of existential destruction. The Crawling Chaos, Nyarlathotep.

[He realizes it sounds daunting. But the other can simply ask him more questions as they go on.]

I had assumed him to be just the Persona of...someone we fought...but it turns out he was so much more. He has been using many for his pawns in his wish to destroy everything. But if you stand here before me, it means he was defeated or at least banished somehow. I wonder if his defeat means that Philemon may also have to mirror this as well.

[They probably should, and yet Minato is way too engrossed to even think about moving right now. Instead... this is so much information that he never knew. Nyarlathotep? The Crawling Chaos? The archetype of existential destruction? When Nanjo brings it up like that, in all honesty, Minato can't help but draw the comparison to Nyx.

Wasn't she basically the archetype of death, or creation and endless night?

Hrmmm...]

So you think... Philemon stepped back or...had to step back because Nyarla-- [... Shit.] Nyar-- [how the hell]

Nyar...latho...tep... [THERE, FINALLY.] ...had to?

[It's still better than a few people he knew, to be honest.]

It's a theory, yes, but it sounds like a logical choice. Both of them where...engaged in a bet to test mortals at one point. [This information still fresh from Tatsuya's visions makes him sound a lot more annoyed than he wants to be, and he coughs to calm himself down.]

If Nyarlathrotep is defeated, then Philemon should step back, least the Crawling Chaos uses this to increase his own power. Think of it like Ying and Yang. Maybe it is why there are less people in the Velvet Room as well...except certain cases like yours.

[Which does bring an interesting question in his mind now.]

I had assumed the operation was being lead by Miss Kirijo but...were you their leader, young lad?

[In a weird, twisted sort of way--it does make sense. Philemon can't meddle--and neither can Nyalathotep. And in that way, there's balance, and the world... is safe.

... So Minato just shakes his head, and focuses on what he knows.]

No... Mitsuru-senpai was definitely our leader. She was the one who always knew what had to be done.

[A contemplative pause, and he adds:]

I guess in combat, I was the leader, yeah. [and more and more with the rest, as time went on--but as far as he's concerned, it's still Mitsuru.] I did what I could.

Two leaders; field and combat. I understand. Ingenious. I'd expect nothing less than such perfection from Kirijo's heir.

[He grins again. He's smiled more here than he's done back home. It's an interesting feeling, coming face to face with the future.]

Something I've learned the last few hours before coming here is to keep an open mind. Therefore, should we find ourselves in any type of situation here, you can expect me to back you and her up.

[He may be a businessman and a leader, but Nanjo is more than willing to let someone else call the shots.]

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